Congress President Polls: Voters Asked To Put 'Tick' After Shashi Tharoor's Team Says Putting '1' May Lead To Confusion

Tharoor's team said as Kharge is on serial number 1 and Tharoor on 2 on the ballot paper, writing '1' against the name of the voter’s choice would put the latter at a disadvantage.

Polling for the Congress president's election will be held on Monday and counting will be taken up on Wednesday. ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: Voters in the Congress presidential elections have been asked to put a 'tick mark' against the name of their choice instead of an earlier directive of writing ‘1’, news agency PTI reported. This comes after candidate for the party's top post Shashi Tharoor's team took up the issue with the Congress election body saying that it may lead to confusion.

Earlier on Saturday, Congress central election authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry had said that the PCC members "will mark '1' on the ballot paper against the name of the candidate and fold the ballot paper to put it into the ballot box".

However, Tharoor's team took up the issue with Mistry, stating that this may confuse the voters, as Mallikarjun Kharge is on serial number 1 and Tharoor on serial number 2 on the ballot paper, and writing '1' against the name of the voter’s choice would put the latter at a disadvantage, PTI reported.

Finally, Mistry on Sunday conveyed to Tharoor's team that a tick mark would have to be made instead of '1' to reflect the preferred choice.

Ahead of the party's Presidential polls tomorrow, Congress's Central Election Authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry states, "The Ballot Paper will have the names of two candidates (Mallikarjun Kharge & Shashi Tharoor) on it. Voters are instructed to put a 'tick' in the box..." pic.twitter.com/MQnU8PBPMU

— ANI (@ANI) October 16, 2022

In a tweet, Tharoor said, "Breaking News: the @incIndia Election Authority has changed the requirement for a vote from writing '1' against the preferred candidate’s name to a tick mark. Delegates please note — a tick mark is needed in the box next to my name!"

Breaking News: the @incIndia Election Authority has changed the requirement for a vote from writing “1” against the preferred candidate’s name to a ✅ tick mark. Delegates please note — a tick mark is needed in the box next to my name! pic.twitter.com/IVy8AbGsMt

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 16, 2022

It is to be noted that Tharoor's team has repeatedly flagged violation of directives by the party's central election authority. They also raised the issue of office bearers openly expressing support for Kharge, the latest being Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

Last week, Mistry had said that the Congress presidential elections would be held by a secret ballot and no one would get to know about the voters’ choices.

He had also asserted that a level-playing field had been ensured for both candidates.

Polling for the Congress president's election will be held on Monday and counting will be taken up on Wednesday.